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He was watching, closely, as this woman reacted. It was right and yet, at the same time he could tell there was something wrong about it. In a way, it intrigued him, yet at the same time he knew he had to move on quickly. He couldn't let Nayami simple fall into her father's hands alone. He meant to break her, probably body, but most of all her spirit.

Besides, she was in his genjutsu hook, line, and sinker. What could she really do that would get herself out of the deepness of the genjutsu. Nearly all that fell into the genjutsu wanted to be caught...to find the sleep that only he could deliever to them. Why would this whelp of a girl be any different?


*MEANWHILE, IN THE GENJUTSU*

He smiled, he had to admit, he deserved it. "Leina." he said softly, almost as if to answer her words. He wasn't exactly fitting to the surrounding, in matter of fact, he looked foriegn, probably to anybody but Leina.

He grabbed her hand softly and looked into ther eyes through the mask. "I'm so glad I found you." he said after staring for a bit. Daringly, he reached around her to embrace her in a hug. "I've missed you so much..." he started, for by the tone of his voice and the way the worlds rolled beyond his lips, it was easy to tell there was.

Fumbling for what to say, he gave up and intsead smiled. "Well, we should really get out of here."

How had she figured it out so quickly...regardless, perhaps he was underestimating her abilities. Regardless, he would need to focus. Things didn't look like they would be any easier. She was already onguard and ready with her katana. He didn't like bragging, but perhaps this was a good time as any for one of his better talents: multiple jutsu. It was one thing to perform rapid jutsu, but to maintain one or two, or in his case numerous jutsu at the same time was difficult to overcome.

Without thinking, his subconscious was already formulating the best method to address the situation.

His eyes followed her movements, and there was naught but pain to be seen in his eyes. He couldn't keep his eyes on her, turning away, looking off to the side some, he saw her hand wrapped around her blade and knew that his trust and helpful hand had been washed away by his past. Like a tidal wave, he began to feel how she felt.

"You...don't understand. It's... I'm sorry." He finally spewed. "You have no reason to trust me, but when you disappeared..." he hesitated almost as if the words, or more likely memory by the way he shut his eyes, were hurting him. "I...miss...no, I need you." he said as his nearly red eyes opened and focused on her.

Yet, the news of a 'hidden friend' took him by surprise. "They are here already?" he whispered. "I had hoped to find you and sweeep you away before they came a hunting you and your new kin." His eyes swept away from her suddenly as he thought about the ninja that was probably watching them right that moment if Liena was right.

Pulling the blade he kept with him, he eye'd the trees surrounding them, seemingly expecting death, but yet to prove his loyalty to Leina. The rusling took him by surprise as he readied himself for what ever hwas hidden out there.

Time was running short, he would have to slowly and carefully ease the trap shut on her. Wait until she was so far into the bear trap...or would a wolf trap be more apporpriate he thought quickly. Regardless, he realized his first mistake and he wouldn't let it happen again.

Just as fast as the rustling had begun, it was gone. No, not gone but moved...and again, quickly. Not too stealthy, but definitely not very ninja quality. Or at least not a good ninja, regardless, the uneasiness of Yokoshima's stance and grip on his blade spoke volumes. The blade was clearly gripped too tightly as his knuckles paled as the blood could nearly be seen in his hands.

Soon, one figure became two...it was hard to tell, but it was indeed true. The bounds were timed as to not be at the same time, but were close enough that it could have been a skilled shinobi, maybe. Regardless, there was plenty for the wolves, and heck anybody in the area to pick up on. It was a rather amatuer way of trying to formulate an attack, yet here they were. Jumping around like a couple of genin.

"Leina, I was young...and very stupid. I know you have no reason to trust me, but please... let me protect you!" he proclaimed as he turned his back to Leina, with nothing but trust and sincerity.

Good...this might work.

...

He couldn't help but turn to look as he saw the trees catching fire. It was almost like a wild brush fire in this forest. What IDIOT, decided this was a good idea? He wondered as his mind raced for a way to use this, and not give away his own position and strategy.

Clenching his jaw, all he could think was 'BAKA!'

The two lept from their cover, hoping to have some sort of advantage on the Htead. Wearing very concealing garb, and their symbol identifing them as nin from some obscure village, never the less, they were coming, and they were armed.

One was swinging a bladed chain, ready to capture and cut her. More than likely hoping to shred her in the process. The other, with two wooden tonfa claspsed to his forearms was coming in much more battle sensible. His clearly guarded knees were tucked in close to his chest, ready to take what ever would be deployed against his flying approach.

Just when they looked like they were ready to strike, a thud clearly shook the forest around them. From admist the trees a torret of fire burst forth and coated the two in death. Quickly and without time for screams or lengthy goodbyes, they were ash. Had Yokoshima not already used the little boys tree earlier, he might have messed himself. For now poking through the clearly forged hole in the trees was the head of a deep blood red dragon.

He hadn't been paying as much attention to her as he should have, and he nearly paid for it. Darts. quickly and nearly invisible in the growing conflaguartion hurtled towards him. He wasn't even remotely ready to intercept them, after all he wasn't expecting her to even be remotely close to targeting him.

Something wasn't right, but the three darts were very much a higher priority. He knew as his body was alreayd reacting that he wouldn't make it in time. It seemed as if there was a flash before his eyes as a burning piece of wood fell in front of him, catching two of the darts while the third was deflected. He wasn't sure if there was anything left when he would open his eyes, but he couldn't let the genjutsu go.

Still, something was strange. He was definintely going to have to be more aware of his endeavor at hand. Amist the growing chaos of the fire, he moved. Like a falling branch or a puff of ash and smoke, he moved.

The dark red dragon was in a sense peeking through to see what he could spy. Seeing the duo as well as the pair of wolves, he snorted, they weren't big enough for a meal, but here he was, being requested to devour the woman. The neck seemed like it would go on forever until a shoulder brushed against some petty trees and tumbled away from their rather dead trunk.

"You're here..." Reverberated the deep almost grating sounding voice. "so you must be the one I'm to devour." the teeth looked like katana's, a row of katanas that were fitted and somehow managed to portray a sick smile. It seemed to promise nothing but pain and torture, if not sudden and firery death.

As if the wolves weren't even there Yokoshima ran over to bring his sword to bear between him and the great beast. He wasn't sure what he could do but he was sure that he didn't want to let the dragon have a clear shot at Leina. "You must be mistaken. Leina isn't going to die here, I won't let that happen."

Quieter, "I've lost her once, this time I won't let anything take her." it was just loud enough for Leina to hear maybe, but it was definetely directed at himself as he steeled himself. After all, he might be dieing soon.

Smiling at the cute little doggies that his target held on to and seemed to trust as her protection. And apparently this man thought he could stand against him as well. With his scaled arm, he broke through the trees and put it's clawed hand down with a slightly rattling of the ground. It's laughter though was throaty before it's voice surged forth again with the smell of ash pugnant on his breath.

"Find a few thousand more men and hundreds more of your puppies, can you might find freedom from me. Otheriwise... I'd dismiss them and save their lives." almost as an exclimation point, the top of one of the nearby trees was obviously knocked over to fall down near them. Waving above it was his tail before it retreated back into the cover of the burning trees.

The explosive tag was masked perfectly by the fire and the genjutsu. He was working harder than he had planned, but he had to make sure it worked. It was an 'illusion' but the more realistic he could make it, the more effective it would all be. Focusing on his thoughts as the dragon and as Yokoshima.

Snarling and growling, more in pleasure than anything else, he wondered if he should wait to see how they reacted. Figuring, he'd have some fun anyway his lungs inflated. Deep and from the bowels nearly came the slight rumble before a ball of fire at Leina and her wolves.

Shaken and rattled by the top part of the tree, that had just moments ago thundered to the ground, he couldnt' believe the fireball he saw coming. Naturally, he thought to dive aside and save himself, but he couldn't. Turning and sheathing his blade in an instant, he dived and pushed Leina out of harms way.

He couldn't say what had happened to the wolves, but they more than likely could handle themselves. Then again, he didn't really care either.

His katana had sliced the tree cleanly and fell at the impact of the fireball. Timing was everything, and he had it. As the tree, which he excluded from the illusion he was showing Leina, and the fireball landed, the fiery tree exploded when his second explosive tag went off, blowing the tree to pieces, but not before he could add a few kunai to the shower of splinters.

Making sure that the kunai would only scratch her, the splinters however would stick. Not only in Leina though, but as well in the illusion of the man her mind had conjured up. The wolves would not be spared either, he doubted they would have been able to completely avoid the splinters. Regardless, he was still moving, trying his best to find trees that weren't already too burnt to perch upon. It was becoming all to apparent that he now had to fight Leina and the fire.

Joy.

For once, he wasn't exactly ready for what he was dealing with. She knew it was all fake, yet she had played along, at least to a degree. She was smart enough to dismiss her summons, but at the same time wasn't nearly as worried about the man or the dragon. Nayami sure could pick people to surround herself with.

Why had she never picked him?

Determined, he would show her why he deserved to stand at her side. Furiously, but with appropriate stealth, he went through the last hand signs, he was planning on using.

As the words were yelled, it was as if her words had held some sort of sonic weight. Frozen for a moment, the dragon reared back in what could be clearly conceived as pain seemed to course through it's body before the very image of it shattered. Slowly, the began to rain from their position in midair.

Yokoshima, a look of horror etched upon his face as he looked up at her with fear and pain. It was a matter of seconds befoer he too shattered and the shards that had once held her and protected her now hung in the air before they began to drift towards the ground.

The fire however, remained and burned with a passion that couldn't be faked or imitated. It was burning because that was the purpose of it's existance; to burn. Everything seemed the same though, well except for the man taht was walking through the trees. Unphased by the fire it seemed, he stepped. Letting the warm branches rakes at this skin to no avail.

Let there be no mistake about it, the genjutsu were cancelled and before her now stood her opponent, whether she believed it or not. Regardless, he was there, and as the voice in his mind addressed her. "This isn't what you think it is your, just losing your value"

As he drew closer, his thoughts weren't shared with her. Unable to hear his thoughts as he got closer to her. Unaware of what he might do, if this was some sort of trick or not, regardless, he was simply walking closer to her. Slowly, he was approaching. As he passed the shards of the dragon, they fell to the ground...no, they fell through the ground?

The fire of the forest somehow seemed to pale away from the holes that had just been torn through the ground. Oblivious, or unphased, the man continued toward her. The closer he got to her, the shards of Yokoshima fell, slicing holes through the almost picture like ground. It was almost as if the entire forest, her world was a painting. And here it was, being shredded like a warm blade through butter.

"You've come this far. I'm sorry, but your story ends here." Stepping forward, he stepped through her and slowly the world around her began to peel away to show a fiery hellish cavern. Maybe comparable to a volcanoe chamber, but the stalagmite and stalagtites where sharper, as if they had been purposefully sharpened and honed.

Now, through her, with his back to her, he spoke again. "Have you any last words for the world you once knew?"

Standing behind her, he slowly began to draw his own katana for the end of this little bout.

He wasn't expecting it, to say the least and it seemed that the spinning wasn't the truly dangerous part. As she spun and released chakra, which wasn't too pleasant, she was draining him of his chakra. That just wasn't acceptable. With his sword already half drawn, it was merely a twist of his body and the brandashing of his katana between them.

She would see it before he could get his blade in a position to take her thumb, or fingers, or if she was really slow or oblivious, maybe and entire hand. Yet, as he cut for the grasping hand, he wasn't as lucky. Instead he was launched from the spin, seemingly randomly. Seeming to travel parrellel to the ground, he pushed himself up and away.

It was productive for two things, one was the incline he had created, it would let him get some height. But, the height was only handfy for the slightest bit of friction he had caused as it allowed him to more accurately flip and spin his body. His feet stuck to the tree in an instant with his blad jammed into the tree beneath him.

Squating towards the tree, he wondered how well things might go from here on out. Still, he had to get to Nayami's side. He couldn't bare to think of the things taht Saikin might try and do to her. Hopping from the tree, over the handle of his katana he landed smoothly. Pulling down on the katana, he fried a piece of dead wood at her.

Waiting til it was closer, bigger to her eyes and more of a distraction, he ran off to the side, yet here he was on the exact opposite side of her as well. The two Temaki's almost completely identically circled her, looking for an opening.